half plus one
half plus one. A common but inexact (and often inaccurate) approximation for a majority. • For a body with 100 members, a majority is indeed half plus one, or 51. But for a body with an odd number of members, “half plus one” would not be a whole number. So “a simple majority” is a better choice for designating majority rule. — Also termed 50 percent plus one. See MAJORITY (2).
